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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Or is this absolutely batshit (sex life related)

338 replies

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:03

NC long term person.

DP (42) and I (36) been together 4 years. Live together. No kids between us (one each). I have high stress job (main breadwinner) DP runs own business pretty chilled most of the time.

Anyway…always enjoyed a good varied sex life, frequent as in 3/4 times a week, more if we have time (free house etc)

Lately he has started to guilt trip me about our ‘lack of sex’ ‘sexless relationship’. At first told him outright this was rubbish. But he insists we used to have sex more (not to my knowledge in fact was less when we only see each other once or twice a week before cohabiting), now it’s literally 2 days after we have sex he starts on about ‘when we get our sex life back’ like it’s been months.

More than that, the extra fun stuff we enjoy dressing up etc is now starting to become something he expects ‘to come home from work to’, apparently I don’t put enough effort or creativity into sex ‘like you used to’. Again rubbish but also has to have some understanding I have a life outside of standing in my knickers at the door waiting for him.

come to the crux of it today and he says ‘I feel like I should be able to ask for whatever I want and get it, I should be able to touch you within reason (and reason was if I was ill) and you should want it’

all of this coupled with, ‘you rejecting me damages my self esteem, I do anything you want sexually to keep you, I get pain in my balls if I don’t cum’.

baffled as to where all this is coming from. I have told him his is a huge turn off and he told me that if it’s such a turn off ‘expressing my (his) needs’ then it isn’t a ‘safe relationship’

He denies any porn use, never had reason to suspect (especially given healthy sex life).

are we suddenly massively not sexually compatible or is he being unreasonable!?!

OP posts:
Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:18

JacquesHarlow · 16/04/2026 13:12

Because two posts later you said he has a victim mentality.

here's what I think @Tulipsanddandelions

If one partner is less professionally or financially established that isn't necessarily a problem.

But if they're male and spending more time at home, relying on the other person?

Then it can sometimes lead to feelings of inadequacy.

And then some of those folk try and compensate by seeking more and more reassurance. Sex being the obvious and easiest proxy for that.

In that he can get validation (look, she wants me any way I ask for!) , or control (I can get what I want) or worse, just emotional security.

I don't think it's a healthy dynamic basically. You could give him "more" of what he thinks he wants, but he'll just want more until he feels you've shown him reassurance.

This is very interesting.

He is supportive of my job, (one I have had many years before him) but he does occasionally moan about how often I work.

He definitely has low self esteem, again improved a bit in the years we have been together but still there. I am just a bit sick of constantly reassuring him and more than that having to go above and beyond to reassure him when literally 2 days later it’s all forgotten

OP posts:
JacquesHarlow · 16/04/2026 13:19

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:18

This is very interesting.

He is supportive of my job, (one I have had many years before him) but he does occasionally moan about how often I work.

He definitely has low self esteem, again improved a bit in the years we have been together but still there. I am just a bit sick of constantly reassuring him and more than that having to go above and beyond to reassure him when literally 2 days later it’s all forgotten

He definitely has low self esteem, again improved a bit in the years we have been together but still there. I am just a bit sick of constantly reassuring him and more than that having to go above and beyond to reassure him when literally 2 days later it’s all forgotten

it's only "forgotten" because it is a very temporary cure.

He is almost using you as a pacifier or an emotional regulator. There's something from his childhood perhaps where he was unable to learn that himself, so he uses relationships with others as a way of providing that regulation.

I'm not a therapist btw, just a student of human nature.

He needs a therapist.

StrictlyCoffee · 16/04/2026 13:20

Christ, what a cunt.

I’d never have sex with him again and in fact dump his sorry arse.

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:20

Bunnybackinherwarren · 16/04/2026 13:13

Suggest some bondage.
Tie him up and leave him to it. Give him time to reflect his thinking.

Has he by chance got a newly single mate who is filling his head with his latest shenanigans?

Nope no new single mates.

Just this nonsense

OP posts:
DreamyJade · 16/04/2026 13:20

It’s possible he’s doing something behind your back. If he’s suddenly started gaslighting you I’d cherchez la femme. It sounds like he could be up to something and rewriting history, saying you hardly have sex, to justify whatever he may be getting up to.

Thegoldenoriole · 16/04/2026 13:20

Ugh, I literally cannot think of anything less attractive than a man who is already getting it 3x week complaining it’s not enough and that his balls hurt if he doesn’t come - I’d tell him to go live up to his description and have a wank. Your vagina is not his personal fleshlight.

Are there any other issues in your relationship? Has this come on fairly suddenly? Assuming you haven’t got such an ick you just want to dump him (reasonable course of action IMO) I’d be looking more widely at what’s going on and maybe try couples counselling, because on the surface he is being VV unreasonable.

BillieWiper · 16/04/2026 13:21

TittyGajillions · 16/04/2026 13:08

He feels entitled to your body and the performance of you dressing up whenever he feels like it. It's deeply selfish and totally invalidates your worth as a person with bodily autonomy.
Bin him off. Hopefully his ouchie balls wills explode and save other women from him.

His ouchie balls! Lol 😂

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:22

Terrribletwos · 16/04/2026 13:15

@Tulipsanddandelions do you think he's looking for a way out or has already eyes on someone else as this sounds so sudden.

When this kinda came up a couple of months ago, this was my exact initial thought (as he has a bit of a history of cheating - not on me but previous partners).

he was horrified at the idea and said that he is asking for more sexual things with me, no one else.

still in the back of my mind this is some ploy to convince himself he ‘isn’t getting what he wants from the relationship’

OP posts:
Pastit12 · 16/04/2026 13:23

Terrribletwos · 16/04/2026 13:15

@Tulipsanddandelions do you think he's looking for a way out or has already eyes on someone else as this sounds so sudden.

This I would tell him and his achy balls to go and do one,

Moonmelodies · 16/04/2026 13:23

Can he not manually regulate his testicular fluid pressure?

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:26

Lindy2 · 16/04/2026 13:17

It seems so strange he has suddenly changed. The sex life that you describe sounds perfectly normal and healthy to me. What he's describing he wants certainly isn't.

You're adults with children. Life has other priorities and being groped whenever someone else feels like it is not on many people's wish lists.

To be honest this would be a relationship ender for me. I'd never feel properly relaxed around him again if I felt he would be constantly wanting sex.

Has he started medication of some sort that has caused this? Is someone else influencing him? You are perfectly entitled to tell him this is not the type of relationship you want.

Nope, nothing at all like that. No new meds etc.

He is one of those people that is one things after another, as soon as we sort one issue out he will be thinking about the next one.

we have talked about this too but he denies this is part of that. Says he just wants to have mad, adventurous sex whenever he feels he wants it and went so far as to say ‘well we go to work every day why can’t we also make sex a daily thing we always do?’

trying to explain the necessity of work as opposed to marathon sex sessions was more difficult that I thought it would be with a 40 yr old man

OP posts:
JacquesHarlow · 16/04/2026 13:26

DreamyJade · 16/04/2026 13:20

It’s possible he’s doing something behind your back. If he’s suddenly started gaslighting you I’d cherchez la femme. It sounds like he could be up to something and rewriting history, saying you hardly have sex, to justify whatever he may be getting up to.

Ah Mumsnet, where women who have been scorned love to put "the other woman" in the picture, no matter how Occam's Razor the answer is.

* sigh *

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:28

Moonmelodies · 16/04/2026 13:23

Can he not manually regulate his testicular fluid pressure?

Fuck knows, sick of hearing about his ball juice tbh

OP posts:
Weatheronshuffle · 16/04/2026 13:29

If his balls hurt that much he should see a doctor.

Honestly I've got the ick reading this and I'd be reducing sex to zero and leaving him to his sore balls.

CraftyYankee · 16/04/2026 13:30

Definitely sounds like manosphere crap. Are you still having sex with him while he's going on about this?

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:31

It’s the constant dribble of ‘well work will be harder today’

‘why is that darling?’

‘well, my balls are getting painful’

‘oh are they? we had sex 2 days ago so that’s unusual maybe get that checked out’

‘it’s nothing health related, it’s because I need to cum, I get frustrated when I don’t cum, why are you making it weird but talking about doctors when I just need the woman I love to let me cum when I need to’

christ

OP posts:
Murfmeister · 16/04/2026 13:31

I had one like this. At first I tried to please him, then he expected more and more even when he knew I was uncomfortable and unhappy.

One day, something inside me just clicked and I dumped him.

I didn't realise how badly it was affecting my mental health, attitude, and happiness until I was out of it.

If I was ever in this situation again, I would walk. It doesn't get better, it gets worse and leaves lasting damage (or it did for me). Luckily my husband is nothing like this at all, but for a while it was struggle and I was waiting for him to be like my ex and I cannot tell you the relief I felt when I realised he was in no way similar ....

Lomonald · 16/04/2026 13:34

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:28

Fuck knows, sick of hearing about his ball juice tbh

😂 I think you should tell him this !

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:35

CraftyYankee · 16/04/2026 13:30

Definitely sounds like manosphere crap. Are you still having sex with him while he's going on about this?

I enjoy a good sex life so we had sex like 3 days ago, but last 2 days have been insistent about this nonsense, and something has clicked a bit whereas before I think I just ignored it or told him he was being ridiculous.

I know for a fact we have a good sex life and he persists and has continued texting, calling moaning etc for 2 days while we have been at work. So Iv come here for advice as now it’s just weird and I can’t ignore it.

OP posts:
Doggodoggo · 16/04/2026 13:36

He's treating you like a sex doll

FeliciaFancybottom · 16/04/2026 13:36

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:31

It’s the constant dribble of ‘well work will be harder today’

‘why is that darling?’

‘well, my balls are getting painful’

‘oh are they? we had sex 2 days ago so that’s unusual maybe get that checked out’

‘it’s nothing health related, it’s because I need to cum, I get frustrated when I don’t cum, why are you making it weird but talking about doctors when I just need the woman I love to let me cum when I need to’

christ

Jesus, I couldn't put up with that. Has he never heard of wanking?

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:36

Murfmeister · 16/04/2026 13:31

I had one like this. At first I tried to please him, then he expected more and more even when he knew I was uncomfortable and unhappy.

One day, something inside me just clicked and I dumped him.

I didn't realise how badly it was affecting my mental health, attitude, and happiness until I was out of it.

If I was ever in this situation again, I would walk. It doesn't get better, it gets worse and leaves lasting damage (or it did for me). Luckily my husband is nothing like this at all, but for a while it was struggle and I was waiting for him to be like my ex and I cannot tell you the relief I felt when I realised he was in no way similar ....

Sorry to hear you had the same.

I totally get the increase, more and more, ok we had sex for an hour, but next time can we also do XYZ because you know I love that too and we ‘never seem to do that anymore’

never meaning in the last 2 weeks or something

OP posts:
IdaGlossop · 16/04/2026 13:37

He's not serving his own interests by going on like this. Why would you want to have sex with a man who is doing nothing to make you feel positive about him, who is making clear he thinks sex with you is a right and not a privilege, and who is denying you your own reactions to him by telling you you should welcome him touching you. I feel for you.

Tulipsanddandelions · 16/04/2026 13:37

FeliciaFancybottom · 16/04/2026 13:36

Jesus, I couldn't put up with that. Has he never heard of wanking?

Genuine question as I have asked the same

‘why should he have to wank when he has a long term committed partner he is attracted to?’

OP posts:
FeliciaFancybottom · 16/04/2026 13:38

Please say you're going to dump him, this won't get better. I can't believe he's actually got the nerve to ring you at work and complain that he needs to cum and you won't let him 😬